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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/23339725">Adored</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/Sounddrive/pseuds/Sounddrive'>Sounddrive</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>The Arcana (Visual Novel)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Background Relationships, Backstory, F/M, Gen, Multi, Polyamory, Pre-Poly, Pre-Red Plague (The Arcana)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-03-27</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-03-27</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-01 07:54:40</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>1,094</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/23339725</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/Sounddrive/pseuds/Sounddrive</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Originally a prompt asked on tumblr: 22 for the kiss meme! With whoever you please! 🧡</p><p>22:  a kiss . . . in a rush of adrenaline.</p><p>[A Bảo Nguyen, James Aster and Walterine Aster story, related to <a href="https://archiveofourown.org/series/1415851">The Path She Picked</a> series]</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Original Female Character/Original Male Character, Original Female Character/Original Male Character/Original Male Character, Original Male Character/Original Male Character</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Adored</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>Originally posted to tumblr on October 17, 2019.</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>It’s the first masquerade—after building his shop, after . . . <em>everything—</em>that he had been truly able to get his mind off of work and his problems.</p><p>His problems, at least the ones he knows he <em>can </em>fix, were far away and not at the forefront of his mind.</p><p>The extravaganza of a party at the palace is boisterous. Bảo couldn’t help but feel excited.</p><p>At the same time, he’s afraid he'd lose track of his beloved friends. Bảo kept his head tilted up a bit, multitasking in looking around and following behind Walterine.</p><p>On the other hand, James didn’t like going to the Masquerade much. Since it was Bảo’s first time however, James wanted to participate with him. Bảo hangs onto him, taking in as much splendor of the palace as he could.</p><p>To top this night off, Neha was at a trusted relative’s place. They wouldn’t have to worry about her; they could enjoy themselves the whole night.</p><p>“It’s way different than a party in your village, huh?” Walterine shouts.</p><p>Bảo can only laugh, grinning from ear to ear. “Yes, but exciting!!!”</p><p>“Should I slow down?” James stoops a bit to murmur against Bảo’s ear. “I don’t want to make you feel like I’m yanking you like me arm’s a leash.”</p><p>Goosebumps rise to the surface of his skin. Exhaling to calm himself, Bảo shakes his head ‘no’.</p><p>“Just perfect,” Bảo reassures, patting James’s arm.</p><p>
  <b>***</b>
</p><p>Freshly planted flowers perfume the air. Off in the distance, a fountain babbles and gurgles. Spots of laughter sound far and near, but they are secluded enough in their spot.</p><p>Inside the Masquerade, it got a little too much for James.</p><p>Bảo was the one that offered to stay with him while Walterine would grab some food boxes.</p><p>James’s masquerade mask—a generic black one, accented with blazing orange wisps—is settled atop his head. He fusses with his glasses, immediately replacing them on his face.</p><p>“You ok?” Bảo softly inquires. His own mask matches James’s in design, the difference being that Bảo’s has a matte green base, accented in ivory white.</p><p>“Uh, I will be,” James puffs. He shakes his head. “I’m sorry I lit out of there. It’s, it’s a little overwhelming...”</p><p>Bảo’s laugh is amused, but not mocking.</p><p>“I hope I didn’t spoil your fun,” James murmurs, starting to pull at the grass beside the low, stone bench they sit on. “We were dancing and then I got dizzy...”</p><p>“No, never spoiling,” Bảo replies.</p><p>James turns to him, readjusting his glasses. “Bảo, this is your first Masquerade-”</p><p>“And I with one of the people I wanted to be at the Masquerade with the most.”</p><p>Bảo’s eyes meet James's own, his gaze drifting to James’s now-rosy cheeks. The latter curses the fact his blush was so visible, even under the moonlight.</p><p>“... are you always this <em>smooth!?”</em></p><p>Bảo doubles over, his laughter a little louder now.</p><p>James wouldn’t call his expression a pout, but he knew his wife would very much say it was so.</p><p>The man before him was so ridiculous. Despite what his exasperated muttering would insinuate otherwise, James is glad Bảo was feeling all right enough to do so.</p><p>Bảo held many a shadow in his heart and soul. Before tonight, no one was sure whether or not he’d come up to the palace, despite his many reassurances he’d go for the occasion.</p><p>It wasn’t until James agreed to join along with his wife and boyfriend—yes, Bảo is his boyfriend; James at times was still in disbelief at this—that Bảo was heartened to go.</p><p>Presently, Bảo had finally started to settle from his laughter. In turn, affectionately exasperated, James offers out his hand. Bảo gladly takes it, pulling James closer until he had his partner’s arm wrapped around his waist.</p><p>“You’re quite taken with my arm.”</p><p>“Can’t blame me; I like your arm.”</p><p>They crack up, pressing closer to each other’s side.</p><p>“...Can I sit in your lap?” Bảo asks, almost sheepish.</p><p>James obliges him. Upon pulling him closer, he rests his chin on the top of Bảo’s head.</p><p>They stay that way a while, happily snuggling. James stills when Bảo shifts, placing his ear against James’s chest.</p><p>“...you okay?” James murmurs in turn. He swallows, his heart quickening.</p><p>Bảo shifts again, peering up at James through his mask. His smaller partner looks... <em>unbelievably </em>happy.</p><p>James swallows again, his gaze stuck on Bảo’s lips.</p><p>Bảo finally notices how fast James’s heart was pounding. Just as he leans over to the side, to remove himself—</p><p>“Wait!” James exclaims. He snaps his mouth shut, internally kicking himself as Bảo stares at him, dumbfounded.</p><p>“I mean, I-I-!”</p><p>Bảo’s cool hands brace both sides of James’s face. The latter stares on at his partner, sheepish yet full of adoration.</p><p>“It’s just me,” Bảo soothes. He removes his mask, setting it off to the side.</p><p>James can see some of the makeup Walterine had helped to apply on Bảo‘s eyelids. It’s really subtle; Bảo got a bit anxious with some of the bolder hues, but he wanted to work his way up to the brighter ones... in time. It wouldn’t be the next year, or the year after that, but James knew Bảo would, at his own pace.</p><p>“Is it still on?” Bảo asks.</p><p>“Yeah,” James nods, readjusting his glasses. “Walt did a wonderful job...”</p><p>There’s a small laugh from him as James adds, “Look, you look beautiful no matter what you’re in, but I’m really happy you got to try this out.”</p><p>A soft smile graces his partner’s face. "Do you want to kiss me?"</p><p>Under any other circumstance, this question would have flustered James to no end. </p><p>This time was different.</p><p>For once, James can see that Bảo is nervous too.</p><p>“...You’re sure?” James asks. His hand cups the side of Bảo’s face, thumb gently sweeping over the arch of the latter’s cheek.</p><p>“Dạ,” Bảo nods, laughing a little.</p><p>“C’mere then.”</p><p>After a bit of fumbling, their lips meet. The two of them melt against one another, James’s arms circling his partner’s waist as Bảo grins widely into the kiss, laughing with elation as they separate.</p><p>“Phew!”</p><p>Bảo and James turn around as Walterine quickly approaches, arms laden with several boxes of food.</p><p>She congratulates her husband and his boyfriend, grinning wide enough to match their own smiles.</p><p>Once the boxes of food are all opened up, Walterine uncorks a fancy bottle of spirits to drink. The three of them partake in raising a glass.</p><p>
  <em>To new beginnings, and a continuing love, however it blooms...</em>
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